MANILA, Philippines - With nearly 1.4 million people dying of acute and chronic liver diseases every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries to scale up efforts against viral hepatitis.
The WHO observed that viral hepatitis “remains largely ignored and unknown” although it could cause acute and chronic liver diseases.
The heath agency said countries should improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis, a group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. It is a condition wherein the liver gets enflamed because of these viruses.
The hepatitis viruses are “transmitted through different routes.”
Hepatitis A and E are spread through contaminated food and water; Hepatitis B is passed through blood and other bodily fluids; Hepatitis C is spread mostly through blood; and Hepatitis D serves as an additional infection in the presence of Hepatitis B.